The Diodon hystrix pufferfish swims slowly, despite its rapid fin movements. Normally, the spines covering its body lie flat against its skin, but when it inflates, these long, sharp spines stand upright. The pufferfish can inflate its body by ingesting water or air, transforming into a spiky, round ball. 
This spiny armor serves to defend against predators: when inflated, the standing spines make aggressive fish think twice about attacking. Despite this formidable defense, the pufferfish remains prey for dolphins and sharks in the water.
Typically, pufferfish can inflate their bodies up to 300%. If swallowed, the pufferfish can inflate in the predator’s throat, which can sometimes kill the aggressor. There have been cases where pufferfish have escaped by bursting out of the bellies of dolphins and sharks. However, herons can successfully prey on pufferfish by pecking deep into their skin, causing them to deflate, although this attack is successful only about 20% of the time.
The skin of this pufferfish secretes a toxic substance, but in Hawaii and Tahiti, people have learned methods to prepare it for consumption. The flesh of the pufferfish is considered delicious, but it’s rarely eaten due to its toxic nature, so it’s best not to try it. Aquarists also enjoy capturing this uniquely shaped fish for their tanks.
Each jaw of the pufferfish has two fused teeth that form a hard beak, similar to that of a bird. This beak enables the pufferfish to crack the hard shells of prey such as crabs, mollusks, and sea urchins. 
Watching them break open the hard shells of their prey can evoke the image of a bird pecking at a tough seed. Due to their slow swimming speed, pufferfish primarily feed on stationary or slow-moving prey, including various types of crustaceans.
Typically, when inflated, pufferfish float on the water’s surface and often get washed ashore by ocean waves. In some areas, they are captured, inflated, dried, and sold to tourists. This practice has led to a scarcity of pufferfish in many regions around the world.
Pufferfish eggs are spherical, drifting with the currents and hatching after five days. In the early stages, the larvae live as plankton, still attached to their yolk, lacking mouths and with unclear eye color. A few days later, the yolk is fully absorbed, and the young fish gradually develops into a “spiky ball.” Once mature, they move to shallow waters, often feeding at night, living alone, and typically residing in burrows and crevices.
The upper body of the pufferfish is brownish-yellow with black spots, while the underside is cream-colored. Its tail is short and round, and its average body length is about 91 cm. Pufferfish are distributed in the tropical waters of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans.
